The back of terrorism was successfully broken in 2015 by the brave hearts of Pak Army and the Frontier Corps (FC), and the whole of FATA was cleared of the presence of TTP and dozens of other militant groups.
This feat, which no other army could achieve, was accomplished after rendering huge sacrifices.
Although the TTP supported by RAW and NDS kept launching cross border attacks from Afghanistan, those were random and very few.
Across the border, the US-led ISAF, which comprised military contingents of 52 countries including NATO and ANSF, and with unlimited resources, couldn’t defeat Tehrik Taliban Afghanistan (TTA) and had to pull out from Afghanistan in Aug 2021. In panic, they left behind a huge arms arsenal worth 7.2 billion dollars.
High hopes were pinned that Pakistan’s western border would become peaceful and friendly after the withdrawal of foreign troops and RAW, and the power going into the hands of the Afghan Taliban. Hopes proved illusory and cross-border terrorism surged up from Nov 2021 onwards.
The frequency of attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Baluchistan kept intensifying during the years of 2020, 21, 22, 23 and 2024. In the firefight, both sides have suffered heavy casualties.
Despite the Army and FC launching thousands of intelligence based operations, the momentum has not been broken.
The major reason is that the TTP and the BLA are being patronized by RAW, NDS and the Afghan Govt. These groups are being heavily funded, and given access to the huge dumps of sophisticated arms and equipment left behind by the foreign troops as well as the weaponry abandoned by 350,000 ANSF.
The terrorists are in possession of satellite communications sets, night vision devices, long range telescopic guns, heavy guns, mortars and rocket launchers.
In the last two months, all the targets struck by TTP and BLA were military.
Who locates and directs the attackers to home on to the chosen targets, is a big question? The other question is, who harbors the terrorists and why such elements and the sanctuaries haven’t been identified?
Why has the terrorists internal network not been broken in southern KP and southern Baluchistan, the two hottest sectors, where almost daily encounters take place?
Lastly, if Afghanistan is being questioned about its complicity, why Iran is not being questioned? It is an open secret that BLA and BNA operate from Sistan.
Afghan refugees in Pakistan, PTM, the nationalist parties and Baloch Yekjehti Movement in Baluchistan, facilitators, handlers and abettors, facilitate the terrorist groups to reach and strike their chosen targets. They help them to escape after committing the crime.
Another worrying factor is the softness of a political party and religious political parties/groups towards the TTP. PTI’s media trolls have been shamelessly mocking the martyred.
TTA and TTP are married up because of blood brothers relationship and common cause of creating Greater Pashtunistan. TTP wants restoration of FATA to its original status and aspires to establish its caliphate on the pattern of IEA. TTA cannot afford to lose FATA, which has been a safe sanctuary for them.
TTP and BLA are also partners in crime due to common sponsors and similar objectives.
Baluchistan is the most sought province of the USA because of its geostrategic location, proximity to the Mekran coast, nearness to the Gulf of Hormuz, and rich mineral resources.
Christine Fair and Charlotte mentioned in their books that the US has spent the highest amount in Baluchistan in support of the Baloch insurgents since 2003 in order to separate it from Pakistan. In the map published by Lt Col Ralph Peters in 2006, Baluchistan was shown as a separate state.
India has also invested a lot in Baluchistan to win the sympathy and cooperation of the grieved Baloch people. RAW was instrumental in subverting and poisoning the minds of the Baloch people and instigating them to pick up arms against the State. This phenomena of subversion has been going on since the early seventies.
Afghanistan also had a big role since all the runaway Baloch insurgents insurgents and rebels were given refuge and were backed.
CPEC, of which Gwadar port is a part, has further raised the stakes. Recent commissioning of the port and airport in Gwadar have created a crisis situation for the Indo-US-Israel nexus, and hence their frenetic efforts to scuttle it.
The trio is wary of Pakistan’s nuclear program, and is fearful of Pakistan-China strategic partnership, and wants to disrupt it. The only option available to them is to use the tool of terrorism through hired proxies and to indulge in hybrid war.
In the current surge in terrorism, the Afghan militants are also taking part in the attacks, although Kabul is in denial mode.
In a recent operation in DIK, one of the killed terrorists was identified as Badruddin, alias Yusuf, son of Afghanistan Bagdhis Province Deputy Governor Maulvi Ghulam Muhammad Ahmedi. Badruddin was previously employed as a trainer in the Afghan Taliban camp after which he joined TTP. It is a visible proof of TTA-TTP complicity, about which Pakistan has been complaining repeatedly.
Afghanistan is a classic example of a snake in the sleeve, to whom Pakistan has been feeding, milking and helping in all its difficult times. Each time, it stabbed Pakistan in the back.
These multiple factors and threats have made the job of the Pak security forces that much difficult and challenging.
Pak Army bravery and unwavering commitment to protect the nation from internal and external threats are beyond measure.
Every martyr, whether he fell in battle, during operations, or while defending the borders, leaves behind a legacy of courage that resonates deeply within the hearts of every Pakistani.
To the martyrs of the Pakistan Army, we owe a debt of gratitude that words cannot fully express.
Their courage, their sacrifices, and their dedication to Pakistan will never be forgotten.
Their legacy will continue to guide the nation, and their spirits will forever remain alive in the hearts of all Pakistanis.
May the souls of the departed Shaheeds rest in eternal peace, and may their sacrifices never go in vain.
Pakistan Army Zindabad ❤️
